Radiator shutter control



@ct. 23, 1923., 1,4735% e. M. WILLIS RADIATOR SHUTTER CONTROL Filed March 11. 1918 wy/m /Q5\,

Patented Get. as; 1923.

GEORGE M. WILLIS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE AS- SIGNMENTS, TO PINES FACTURING COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A COR- PORATION OF DELAWARE.

RADIATOR SHUTTER CdNTROL.

Application filed March 11, 1918. Serial No. 221,689.

M. WILLIs,

The present invention relates to radiators,

for internal combustion engines and has particular reference to automatic mechanically controlled shutters for use in connection therewith.

The object of my invention is to provide a new and improved automatic mechanically controlled mechanism for controlling the air passing through the radiator structure. In practice, I find it desirable to have the radiator exposed to the air when the engine is running, to keep down the temperature. As the engine continues to run the temperature of the water in the radiator will rise. When the engine is not running it is very desirable, to prevent the water in the radiator from freezing and also to have the water warm to facilitate starting of the engine. To attain these ends I provide automatically operated mechanism to close a shutter in front of the radiator when the engine isnot runnin and to open the shutter when the engine 1s running.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device of the c aracter described in which the construction is simple and cheap to manufacture and install.

Other objects and advantages of my invention not hereinbefore pointed out will appear from the detail description and claims taken with an inspection of the M companying drawings in which Figure 1 is a fragmental front elevation of a radiator provided with a, shutter; and v Figure 2 is a vertical side elevation of the radiator illustrated in- Figure 1 and a diagrammatic illustration of mechanically operated means employed to open and close the shutter.

Referring more particularly to'the drawings wherein similar characters of reference designate like and corresponding parts throughout the various views, 10 des1gnates in its entirety a body of a standard radiator,

the same having a, water jacket 11 completely encircling an active surface 12 which is composed of a plurality of interconnected tubular members serving to afford circulatlon of the cooling medium. The jacket 11 1s provlded with a top portion which I shall hereinafter term the head 13. The usual filling inlet 14 is provided in the head 13. Outside of the side portions of the jacket 11 an outer wall 15 is usuall provided.

In my oopending app ication, Serial No. 163,782 filed April 23rd,1917, Ihave shown a thermostat for controlling the shutter wh ch comprises an arm designated A in its entirety and com osed of a pair of strips 17 and 18 of diss1milar metals, one end of the arm being rigidly secured to the head 13 by means of rivets 19 or the like. The

arm extends transversely of the head and is located beneath the water level therein the free end of the arm having a vertical rod 20 extending therefrom, said rod passing through a tubular extension 21 formed on the head 13. The tubular extension is rovided in the instance owing to the pecu iar shape of the head of the radiator. This prevents the liquid contents of the head frompassing out around the rod 20. Of course, it is to be understood that. the rod fits snugly within the opening in the tube so that a minimum space is provided between the rod and tube. A slot 22 is provided in the free end of the arm through which the rod 20 engages, said rod having an enlargement 23 thereon and a nut 24 so as to allow for expansion and contraction longitudinally of the strip without binding the rod 20.

The free end of the rod 20 is bent for wardly to provide an extension arm 25. The free endof the arm 25 is pivotally connected with a link 26, said link being in turn pivotally connected with a rod 27, said rod having connections at the points 28 with a plurality of hingedly mounted shutter sections 29 mounted on the-front of the radia tor. It will be apparent that when the tam-- perature of the liquid contents of the radia tor changes, the free end of-thearm A will move causing the rod 20 to be reciprooated vertically, in turn actuating the rod 27 which servesto open or closethe shutter sections 29, said shutter sections being lo-' cated" over the axial surface of the radiator and thereby controlling the admission of air thereto.

It will be understood that, if desired, an outer hood may be placed over the head 13 and extension tube21 by extending the side walls 15, of the radiator body so that the outward appearance of the radiator is not changed.

In Figure 2 T have illustrated means mechanically operated which may be associated with the thermostatically operated means to open and close the shutter.

The mechanical means for operating the shutter will now be described. The shaft is driven by the belt 31 from the shaft of the engine and has mounted on it the fan 32. The hub of the fan 32 is keyed to the shaft and has rigidly secured to it the as 33 of the fly-ball governor 34. The arms 35 of the governor are attached to the movable collar 36 which is free to move to and fro on I thus beseen that when the engine is not runtill ning, the collar 36 of the governor will be forced away from the hub of the fan 32 by means of the spring 37. -When'. t he englne is running the weighted balls of the governor 3% fly outwardly overcoming the tension of the spring 37 and causing the collar 36 to be drawn toward the hub of the fly wheel 32. lit will thus be seen that the means mechanically operated illustrated in Figure 2 may be used either alone for controlling the shutter, or in conjunction with the thermostatic means as shown in Figure 1. It will be understood, however, that when the mechanically operated means and thermostatically controlled means are operated in conjunction, the force of the governor 34 will overcome the action of the thermostat so that when the engine is not running the shutter will be closed by means of the governor spring even though the temperature of the water may be quite high.

The connection 43 is a trip connection and the construction is such that when the engine or vehicle is at rest the shutter is mechanically closed. When the engine is running the mechanically operated means may be constructed so as to be inoperative and under such conditions the thermostat will operate the shutter depending on the temperature of the water in the radiator.

lit will be understood that the showing illustrated in Figure 2 is merely diagrammatic and that many diderent mechanical movements may be employed to open the shutter when the engine is running and to 2 close the same when the engine is not running. T therefore reserve the right to make such changes in detailed structure as do not depart from the spirit and scope of the in-. vention as claimed.

, ll claim:

'1. In a motor vehicle the combination of a radiator having a radiating surface, shutter mechanism for regulating the flow of air over said surface, motor controlled means for closing said shutter mechanism when the motor is at rest and thermostatic means for gradually-varying the position of said shutter mechanism when the motor is running.

2. In combination, a radiator, means controlling the passage of airover the radiating surface thereof, thermostatic means for omrating said controlling means to increase the amount of air passing over said surface as the temperature of the radiator increases, and vice versa, an engine, and means operable by the operation of said engine for permitting said air controlling operation when the ene is operating and reducing the amount of air passing over said surface to a minimum immediately upon stopping of the engine regardless of the temperature of said radiator.

3. In combination, a motor, a radiator, means for regulating the cooling of said radiator, said means including an element for automatically and gradually increasing and decreasing the passage of air over the radiating surface of the radiator as temperature of the radiator increases and decreases while the motor is running, and a predominating element operated by the engine for automatically cutting off the passage of air over said radiating surface when the motor is at rest.

d. in combination, an engine having a water jacket, a radiator connected with said water jacket, shutters controlling the passage of air over the radiating surface of said radiator, thermostatic means mechanically connected with said shutters and by its gradual operation gradually varying the position of said shutters to permit more or less air to pass over said radiating surface, and master controlling means operated by the engine permitting operation of said thermostatic means when the engine running and positively imparting closing movement to said shutters regardless of the tendencyiof said thermostatic means when the engine is at rest.

5. in combination, an engine having a water jacket, a radiator connected with said water jacket, shutter mechanism con= trolling the passage of air over the radiating surface of said radiator, thermostatic means Ell mechanically connected with said shutter mechanism and by its gradual operation gradually varying the position of said shutter mechanism to permit more or less air to pass over said radiating surface, a shaft operated by the engine, a member sliding on said shaft, a spring tending to move said member in one direction, governor ball mechanism for moving said sliding member in the opposite direction against the tension of said spring, and an engaging member mechanically connected with said sliding member, said engaging member being out of engagement with said shutter mechanism when the engine is running 15' is at rest, said s rin bein more owerful 20 P g g P than said thermostatlc means.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribemy name this 9th day of March, A. D. 1918;

GEORGE M. WILLIS. 

